What happened last week in the regions?
Nothing new yet! Major changes in the life of the owner of RegionsWatch has made it difficult to provide OBSERVATORY updates. However, all is not lost, as developments in regional trade continue to be made by way of the RegionsWatch Yahoogroups list-serv regularly. Finally, OBSERVATORY updates aims to resume after the summer holidays. Thanks! [6 July, 2004]
Latest update of the regions: The Bahamas; ASEAN; New Zealand-CHINA; RUSSIA...
[ 20 April]
Latest update of the regions: CHINA; ASEAN; ECOWAS; RUSSIA; more...
Thought for the Day on Rwanda, which you can read here
[07 April].
Find out, and read up on what was happening in the regions last week. Updates include developments on the Mexico-Japan Free-trade agreement (FTA); as well as ECOWAS; ASEAN; Arab League, etc...
Read March's developments in regional integration here
The idea behind the RegionsWatch is elaborated, and explained. If you are interested in contributing, please let me know: webmaster@regionsWatch.zzn.com
RISQ, or the Review of International Social Questions is an independent think-tank that groups academics; scholars; students interested in world issues. Free registration. Free Newsletter. Plus the possibility to submit articles. Managed by academic Maarten Vanden Berg, Ph.D from the Netherlands
THE NEW REGIONALISM IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA:
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE?
America's Trade Follies--
by Bernard K. Gordon. I used this book whilst doing research on ASEAN & ECOWAS Regionalism. Gordon's book is excellent insofar as it does a very good job of advancing the US's position. Even if I didn't agree with his basic premiss, he does have a point when he argues how the European Commission's aggressive stance on regionalism will adversely affect the global economy, and hinder free-trade. Worth reading even if, like me, you're not pro free-trade as, par excellence, the answer to the world's problems.
I have spent the time since July 2001 monitoring / researching / writing about regional organisations in the specific context of their role in the Multilateral Trading System (MTS) for the Secretariat of the Brussels-based non-profit, and non-governmental organisation (NGO)
International Coalition for Development Action (ICDA). The regions I have monitored, and compiled special reports on include: APEC; ASEAN; ECOWAS; SADC; MERCOSUR; FTAA; Australia-New Zealand trading relations. If you would like reports on either of those regions, please let me know:
*This page)--and much of the website-- is under heavy construction. If you have any queries, do not hesitate to get in touch -- see left hand side of screen. Thanks*--Ekb
Read the latest report from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs on the impact of Free-Trade Areas & bilateral agreements on WTO trade negotiations